eggplant

American  

[eg-plant, -plahnt] / ˈɛgˌplænt, -ˌplɑnt /

noun

1. a plant, Solanum melongena esculentum, of the nightshade family, cultivated for its edible, dark-purple or occasionally white or yellow fruit.

2. the fruit of this plant used as a table vegetable.

3. a blackish purple color; aubergine.

---

eggplant British  

/ ˈɛɡˌplɑːnt /

noun

1. a tropical Old World solanaceous plant, Solanum melongena, widely cultivated for its egg-shaped typically dark purple fruit

2. the fruit of this plant, which is cooked and eaten as a vegetable

---

Etymology

Origin of eggplant

First recorded in 1760–70; egg ¹ + plant

Compare meaning

How does eggplant compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• aubergine vs. eggplant